Children's Home run by Bryn Melyn Care Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 1 SC372613 Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The service is owned by a private company. The home is registered to accommodate up to three children. Children come to live at the home as a result of family or placement breakdown. Some children have particular difficulties that make it very difficult to live in a family setting, or they choose not to. Some children have experienced abuse. The manager of this home holds the level 5 diploma in leadership for health and social care and children and young people’s services (residential management pathway).

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 November 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2018 Full Good 30/08/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people benefit hugely from a calm, welcoming home where they can focus on their own needs and form positive, warm relationships with caring staff. Since the last inspection, staff have involved children and young people in choosing the colours and furniture for the home and personalising their bedrooms. This has created a homelier environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff skilfully enable children and young people with highly complex needs to experience positive transitions in and out of the home. Staff supported one young person (who left the home to be more independent) for several weeks after he left, and he still keeps in touch with staff. Staff visit new children and young people before they move in. This helps to reassure children and young people and reduce their anxiety. The registered manager carefully considers the matching of children and young people and how they will live together. This ensures that children and young people experience a stable life in the home. One young person behaves like an older sister or brother to the other children and is a positive role model.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people who have previously struggled to form trusting relationships with adults, do so in this home. Staff emphasise the need for the children and young people to get on well together and respect each other. Children and young people respond positively to this message.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have fun with enthusiastic staff, who support them to access a range of activities, including paintballing and other trips. Children and young people enjoy playing on the trampoline in the garden and going for walks, bike rides and to the cinema. Staff strongly encourage and support children and young people’s individual interests. One child attends a youth club regularly and one young person, who has previously struggled in social situations, enjoys helping at a charity stall. These activities support children and young people’s physical health, emotional well-being and social development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Sensitive staff engage children and young people in valuable key-work sessions to talk about issues such as self-esteem and relationships. Staff help children and young people to reflect on their feelings and behaviour and to recognise the support that they need. One young person has been able to contribute significantly to his behaviour support plan and to tell staff what helps him when he is anxious or distressed. Staff listen to children and young people and seek feedback from them on a regular basis. Children and young people know how to make a complaint and express their views, wishes and feelings to caring staff. Staff arrange for them to have an independent advocate if they need one.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people make significant progress in attending education, learning to adhere to boundaries and controlling their emotions and behaviour. They develop independence skills and self-confidence. Staff talk to children and young people about empathy. This has led to children and young people being able to apologise for their Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 4 behaviour and positively resolve conflict with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Nurturing staff support children and young people to benefit from positive time with their families, helping them to explore their identity. Staff strongly praise children and young people’s positive behaviour. This helps children and young people to feel valued and to learn to value themselves. Staff ensure that children and young people’s physical and emotional health needs are recognised and met. Staff have sensitively helped one young person to begin to overcome his fears and anxieties about attending health appointments. Consequently, his previously unmet health needs are now being addressed.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children and young people become increasingly safe. The frequency and duration of physical interventions reduce after they arrive. Staff skilfully use the therapeutic model of care to de-escalate situations and limit incidents where children and young people could be harmed. Staff are highly trained and use restraint only as a last resort. Staff support children and young people to begin to regulate their own emotions and behaviours. When incidents do occur, staff enable children to reflect on what happened and then to move on and have a fresh start.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The experienced and stable staff team provides firm boundaries, clear routines and structure. This approach helps children and young people to feel secure and safe. Staff know children and young people well and recognise their changing moods and any potential triggers for challenging behaviour. The calm atmosphere in the home is maintained by the sensitivity and vigilance of staff who respond quickly and appropriately to children and young people’s anxieties.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There has been only one incident of a young person going missing since the last inspection. Staff followed the young person and liaised with the police and social worker to ensure his safe return. Children and young people do not harm themselves. However, staff are trained in this area and know how to respond. No child or young person has been subject to exploitation or radicalisation. However, staff are knowledgeable about these risks. There is no bullying in the home. Staff carefully monitor relationships to ensure that children and young people respect each other.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Close liaison with education staff is an important part of the work that staff undertake to keep children and young people safe. This effective communication allows staff to monitor risks at school, as well as to reduce children and young people’s anxieties before they have a negative impact on their behaviour in the home. Staff have access to up-to- date risk assessments and behaviour support plans. These documents are shared with other professionals and guide effective, coordinated safeguarding practice. The registered manager regularly reviews and updates these plans to ensure that they remain relevant and effective. Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced and dedicated registered manager ensures that the home is very well run and that staff receive the support that they need to confidently carry out their roles. The registered manager is focused on children and young people’s needs. She knows children and young people well and wants to provide the best care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff love working here and speak very positively about the registered manager and the team. They are passionate about their work. The registered manager is aware of the strengths and areas for development in the team and ensures that any training and support needs are identified and met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager advocates strongly on behalf of children and young people and challenges the placing authorities if she considers that they are not listening to the child or young person or are not meeting their needs. She addresses any concerns about staff practice quickly. The registered manager and the team communicate effectively with parents, social workers, health professionals and teachers. This benefits children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager provides staff with regular supervision and annual appraisals. These sessions allow staff to consider their professional development and identify targets for the future. Team meetings are well attended and provide staff with opportunities to discuss children and young people’s needs in depth and share best practice and ideas. Children and young people’s social workers praise the work of the staff and registered manager. One social worker commented, ‘I cannot speak highly enough of the home’. Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Edward James House, Hadley, Telford TF1 6QJ

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Inspector

Louise Whittle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC372613 8 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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